Monday, August 24, 2009

Still ticking

It's been nearly 2 months since I last wrote here. I spoke up some on Facebook, and a little on Twitter - as I continue to figure out the best way to converse about teaching and technology - and still have a life.

Some tech stuff just keeps on coming:
Lots more happening of course. School starts two days after Labor Day. I'm still here, leaning forward.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mark,
The kids are soooo lucky to have a teacher/leader with your skills and enthusiasm.

Cheers,

Tom

Mark Ahlness said...

Thanks Tom. It truly works both ways. I consider myself a very lucky guy to be doing what I do. - Mark

Anonymous said...

Mark,

Have a great year and continue making the observations. Do you still have contact with some of the first bloggers who graduated? Maybe more importantly with teachers at the middle school so that you can hear about any observations. I wonder what the long term effects are or if they are even visible.

I appreciate the readership and comment on my blog. You help me to think!

Janice Stearns said...

Mark,
Way to show leadership at your school. It's amazing how the tools are helping us connect in ways never before possible with people we didn't know were using the tools.
Are Facebook and Twitter both unblocked in your district? We have Twitter open, but not Facebook.
I look forward to reading your posts and also your student blogs. I encourage others in my local area to read them too.
My goal this year is to make more comments...

Our district is trying out a ning: http://district6.ning.com It's growing, but still in its infancy. Many are already using Facebook, so this comes easy for them.

Welcome to a new year of learning - on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, social bookmarks - all the tools that we're trying to figure out. It sounds like you struggle a little with what has been a major problem for me this year, trying to balance life away from the technology - taking care of family and home - with all the learning that awaits my fingertips online. :)

Mark Ahlness said...

Janice F,
My contact with those early bloggers is pretty limited, as they are now 7th graders, and into a different world. But there is a 5th grade teacher at my school who is about to continue with the blogs from some of my students from two years ago. I am VERY excited about this. More to come.

Janice S,
Facebook and Twitter are huge, but natural, leaps for our school to be taking this year. We even have a Social Media Committee(!) I cannot believe how those cyber connections have made F2F even stronger and more meaningful in our hallways and classrooms